


we all say (that we'll quit someday)

by amosanguis



Category: Magic Mike (Movies), Magic Mike XXL (2015)
Genre: Angst, Character Study, Gen, title from a country song
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-10
Updated: 2015-07-10
Packaged: 2018-04-08 14:20:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4308426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amosanguis/pseuds/amosanguis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They’re always talking about After – even if they’re never quite sure they’ll have one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	we all say (that we'll quit someday)

**Author's Note:**

> Title from “Blowin’ Smoke” by Kacey Musgraves
> 
> I've only seen both of these movies once, so I can't remember, and am unaware of, their backstories. Please excuse any mistakes.

-z-

 

They always talk about After.

They always talk about the day they’ll get out, the day when they can move on – when they’re paid for more than their bodies, when they’re judged on their intelligence and not their profession.

 

-x-

 

“One day,” Ken says, leaning backwards until he can stare up at the stars, “one day they’ll engrave my name on an Oscar and I can finally look my mom in the eye again and not have to wonder if I’ve given any of her friends a lap dance.”

“Yeah,” Mike says, looking over to Ken.  He grabs the bottle between them, takes a swig, and says, “I hate having to gauge a room and wondering how everyone will react when I say that I’m a stripper.”

“Wondering who’ll throw a bible at you is one of my favorite games,” Richie says, a humorless smirk spreading across his face.

“Or who says, ‘No, really?’” Ken adds, his eyes slip closed.

“One day,” Mike says, laying down so that his head was on Ken’s chest.

“One day,” Richie and Ken echo.

Tarzan stay quiet, just as he always does.

 

-

_Three days later._

 

“Imma be’a stripper for life,” Tarzan says – so far into three bottles of shitty vodka, he wasn’t able to sit up straight in his hotel bed, “long as m’legs hold.”

Mike, drunk, too, was pulling off Tarzan’s shoes when the words reached him and he promptly froze.

“Why?” Mike asks when he remembers how to speak.

“Don’ know nothin’ else,” Tarzan says.  “I stopped dreamin’ about gettin’ out years ago.”

“There’s always time, though, right?” Mike asks.

“No, Mike,” Tarzan says.

Mike wants an explanation, wants to ask  _why not_ , wants to know if he’s trapped in this life until he’s wearing a knee brace, too – but before he can ask, Tarzan falls asleep.

(In the morning, Mike doesn’t bring up his questions – just pretends that nothing happened.)

 

-x-

 

They always talk about After; they tell each other about their big dreams, about what they’re gonna do with those ones and fives, beyond just making rent.

No one ever admits to thinking: _but what if there is no After? What if there is no getting out?_

Because they need the After, even if they love the Now to the distaste of the Before.

 

-x-

 

“My parents are disowning me,” Adam tells Mike, a month into his time with the Kings of Miami.  “They said I’m an embarrassment.”

“I’m sorry,” Mike says.  “My parents would probably do the same thing if they knew what I was doing.”

“What did you tell them?” Adam asks.

Mike looks down at his coffee table, says, “I tell them that I have my own shop.  That I’m a carpenter.”

Adam nods, scrubs his hands over his face.  “Do the others ever tell their—?”

“Sometimes,” Mike says, shrugging, “but most of the time it’s easier to lie.  There’re less questions.”

“Yeah,” Adam says, nodding.  He visibly steels himself, squares his shoulders as his jaw flexes, says, “Whatever, it’s not like it’s forever.”

Mike can’t meet the kid’s eyes when he responds.  “Yeah, it’s not forever.”

 

-x-

 

They’re always talking about After – even if they’re never quite sure they’ll have one.

 

-z-

 

End.


End file.
